WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1989
OMBLCO
MR SHIPMAN ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE THE
STANDING PANEL ON HEALTH SERVICES HAD INDICATED THAT ITS MEMBERS WOULD WISH TO DISCUSS STATUS OF CHIROPRACTIC IN HONG KONG WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND SAID THAT HE WAS ALSO OPEN TO FURTHER DIALOGUR WITH THE HONG KONG CHIROPRACTIC ASSOCIATION.
NOTING THAT MR MCGREGOR HAD NOT ELABORATED ON THE OBJECTIONS BY SOME PEOPLE IN THE SUPPLEMENTARY MEDICAL PROFESSIONS WHICH HE FELT PROVIDED GROUNDS FOR ADJOURNING THE DEBATE ON THIS BILL, MR SHIPMAN SAID THE FACT WAS THE PRESENT BILL HAD BEEN THE SUBJECT OF EXTENSIVE CONSULTATION WITH THE SUPPLEMENTARY MEDICAL PROFESSIONS COUNCIL AND THE BOARDS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND HAD STIMULATED CONSIDERABLE DISCUSSION AMONG THE PROFESSIONS CONCERNED.
"AS A RESULT, THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL IS GENERALLY SUPPORTED BY THE COUNCIL AND THE BOARDS, SO LONG AS THE REQUIREMENT OF DOCTOR'S REFERRAL WOULD NOT BE PRESCRIBED IN THE REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE PROFESSIONS.
"HE POINTED OUT THAT A MAJORITY OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARDS WERE DRAWN FROM THE PROFESSIONS CONCERNED AND IN THE COURSE OF THESE DISCUSSIONS, A NUMBER OF ISSUES WHICH WERE RELATED TO THE SUPPLEMENTARY MEDICAL PROFESSIONS ORDINANCE BUT WERE NOT DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO THE BILL HAD BEEN RAISED.
"I AGREE WITH THE AD HOC GROUP THAT SOME OF THESE 19SUES DESERVE DUE ATTENTION AND SHOULD BE LOOKED AT BY THE ADMINISTRATION WITH THE PARTIES CONCERNED.
"HOWEVER, IT WOULD BE UNREASONABLE TO LET THEM HINDER THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL.' HE SAID.
HE STRESSED THAT TO DELAY REGISTRATION OF THE VARIOUS PROFESSIONS FOR THESE CONSIDERATIONS WOULD BE A SEVERE BLOW TO THE WORK DONE BY THE SUPPLEMENTARY MEDICAL PROFESSIONS COUNCIL AND BOARDS OVER THE YEARS AND WOULD CAUSE GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT AND FRUSTRATION AMONG MOST MEMBERS OF THE PROFESSIONS CONCERNED.
"FOR THESE REASONS. I DO NOT CONSIDER IT TO BE INTEREST. MR SHIPMAN SAID.
"I
IN THE PUBLIC
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